That’s the question two researchers ask in a commentary for the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Now while the authors have come under a certain amount of attack, there are some very interesting points in this article that may point at why fewer people place demands on K-12 librarians to prepare students for college.

Is it possible … just a little bit … that some students aren’t getting the kinds of undergraduate experiences that require the diet of critical thinking and problem-solving that we anticipate?

If the researchers are correct, there’s a pretty low amount of cognitive growth happening for students. And why is that? The authors posit that it’s because everybody’s happy with how undergraduate education currently works. Students get time to socialize; administrators get a steady flow of tuition dollars; professors get time to work on projects; parents get a diploma to frame.

(Not sure I agree that everybody’s happy … I think most undergraduate professors at highly-ranked institutions are pretty happy, but I hear from ones at lower-ranked institutions that they see kids with poor study skills and little drive to learn … but then again, let’s get a reality check: nobody’s publishing my work in Chronicle of Higher Education.)

Take a minute to read this article in its entirety. Does it explain some of the placidity with which you see some parents, students, and colleagues when you make a plea for deep thinking activities? Does it explain why some governmental agencies and politicians don’t prioritize the very kinds of critical thinking skills librarians prize?

It’s a sobering essay, in any event. Read on.

Are Undergraduates Actually Learning Anything? – Commentary – The Chronicle of Higher Education via kwout

Quick – you’re a tech-savvy librarian and an administrator shows you the article below. How do you respond?

Op-Ed Columnist – The Medium Is the Medium – NYTimes.com via kwout

Here’s another T.H.E. Journal story, about a Walden University study that says that teachers perceive that integration of educational technology promotes 21st-century skills.

It also states that teachers who have graduated since 2000 feel that their pre-service education programs do not feel adequately prepared to instruct using these skills.

Teachers Report Educational Benefits of Frequent Technology Use — THE Journal via kwout

Links to the executive summary and complete report can be found here: http://www.waldenu.edu/Degree-Programs/Masters/36427.htm

Be sure to view the study’s executive summary, which points out five myths:

1. Teachers who are newer to the profession and teachers who have greater access to technology are more likely to use technology frequently for instruction than other teachers.

2. Only high-achieving students benefit from using technology.

3. Given that students today are comfortable with technology, teachers’ use of technology is less important to student learning.

4. Teachers and administrators have shared understandings about classroom technology use and 21st century skills.

5. Teachers feel well prepared by their initial teacher preparation programs to effectively incorporate technology into classroom instruction and to foster 21st century skills.

There are so many questions wrapped up in this study … starting with our perceptions of Walden (a major online education provider) as a research university … whether or not teacher or administration perceptions are accurate … whether or not perceptions are an appropriate measure of use … whether the real question is “use of technology” or “results of use of technology” … where the librarians are … the amount of tech integration that could be happening if there were better bandwidth / support / equipment …

But it does remind me that school librarians can use the study to leverage themselves in schools. Here are three ways where I see that school librarians can step forward:

1. Work with administrators to develop a shared vision for what great ed tech integration and 21st-century learning looks like in schools.

2. Rearticulate our role as embedded professional developers to provide just-in-time evaluation and modeling of new technology tools.

3. Reaffirm our leadership role by helping teachers hone their own critical evaluation skills regarding ed tech adoption and the resulting student work.

What do you think?